Mandas the Chicken King

Mandas the Chicken King

Does anyone from Chicago area remember Mandas the Chicken King? It used to be located around Montrose and Central but is long gone. Eventually it was bought by Pars Cove, a persian restaurant that kept the chicken on the menu for a time. Then they moved to the city and nixed the chicken. Mandas served french fried chicken and fries that was worth every artery clogging morsel. I' d travel far to find a similar find. Any suggestions ( or recipes)

Boy do I remeber Mandas. When I was a little kid, my parents used to take me there. We either ate in or carried out and ate at the nearest park.

Eating in at Mandas was a treat as I got what I thought was the biggest glass of Root Beer in the world to go with that 1/2 chicken fried up as a single piece. The beer batter coating was to die for. Dine in got you fries, Gonella bread and salad. Take out got you a small cup of cole slaw, fries and 2 slices of white bread. Back in the 60's it was carry out 1/2 chicken dinner for 59 cents. Prices eventually went to 79 cents and 99 cents.

When I reached my 20s, I still went there. Around 1980-ish I was on the way home from something and was driving past Mandas. I made my last purchase there. It was take home for my wife and I. I think it was 1.19 or 1.39 a dinner.

The next time we went there, Mandas was no more. A while later we saw Par's Cove had opened and we had to stop. Wife and I were thrilled they kept the chicken. We returned many times until the eatery again went dark. The new owners said they had many second and third generation customers come for the chicken.

The whole time Par's operated at the address, the logo and design of Mandas, the Chicken King remained and was visible on the marble entry way to the front door.

Closest thing to Mandas that I've found..... H Salt Fish and Chips, North Hollywood, CA - About 2 miles North of Universal Studios on Lankershim at 4795 Vineland.. The Chicken Strips are in a beer batter which is really close. this is where I go when I need a Mandas fix. Not all H Salt stores serve Chicken.....